Websites are a great place for Florida attorneys to market because they do not have to file the content with the Florida Bar for review. They offer the opportunity to showcase your expertise, introduce your team, and so much more. You will want to ensure that your website is legible, accurate, and not misleading. Let’s go over some law firm marketing compliance tips for your website, brought to you by your Cyberlicious experts.
Do you have an interest in other advertising rules for law firms? Check out:
Key Compliance Tips for a Firm’s Website
While your website copy and materials do not need to be submitted, they still must be compliant with the state requirements found in Rules 4-7.12 through 4-7-17 and 4-7.21, within Chapter 4 of the Rules Regulating the Florida Bar. Here is an abridged description of the requirements within the above subchapters:
Testimonials
If you use testimonials on your site, it is a violation to write or draft them yourself. You must include a disclaimer that clients may get different results. The person making the testimonial should be qualified to make it, and it should convey their real experience.
Actors & Dramatizations
If your site includes actors or a dramatization of an event (regardless if it actually happened), you need a disclaimer. In the event of the former, the disclaimer could be, “ACTOR. NOT ACTUAL LAWYER.” If the former, the disclaimer could state, “DRAMATIZATION. NOT AN ACTUAL EVENT.”
Practice Areas
You should only use the ad to present yourself within your current areas of practice.
Skills & Reputation
An individual should be able to objectively verify (see below) anything you state about your firm’s or an attorney’s record, reputation, background, or skills.
Results
Any discussion of past results should only contain objectively verifiable information and should not omit any material facts.
Additional Marketing Compliance Resources
For more information on law firm marketing compliance, download the Handbook on Lawyer Advertising and Solicitation. Updated on July 7, 2022, it is an annual publication by the Standing Committee on Advertising. You also visit the Florida Bar website which has links to checklists, the handbook, and more. Use these to quickly reference general information on lawyer advertising including:
- How to file your ads with the Florida Bar
- Up-to-date rules regarding your advertising
- Sample ads
Marketing You Can Trust
Law firms must be diligent in all areas of advertisement including website development. Outside of regulations, care must also be taken to build a website that appropriately addresses the rules of website design and development. This can mean a lot of time and dedication to combining multiple areas of expertise together. Sometimes, it is best to let the experts take over so you can focus on your firm.
At Cyberlicious®, we know how important time is to our legal clients. In a review of us, Lakeland attorney Art Fulmer wrote, “I can rely on them to be honest and straightforward, which is absolutely necessary in my work.” We get results.